Free to be You and Me S5
by Bad Day at Black Rock
Summary: Cas comes looking for help hunting down an archangel.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: These fics are based on real episodes from Supernatural. The characters and plots belong to the creator and writers for the show. If you want background on the OCs you can read the previous episodes

Free to be You and Me

"Hold him down!" Dean told her as he got a better grip on the blade.

"You're trying to cut his damn head off, he's not just gonna chill while you do it." She forced her weight against the vampire and managed to get him relatively still while Dean finished him off.

Kayla climbed off the now _really_ dead vampire and grimaced at her own appearance. "You got blood on me."

"You're not gonna get all princess on me now are ya?" He put the long blade back into his jacket.

"No." She defended, then shook her sleeve and watched blood sprinkle on the ground. "Yuck."

They headed back to the car as quietly as possible, no one really needed to see them walking around with the blood spattered on their clothes. It seemed so strange, knowing that Sam wasn't in the car, or even back at the motel waiting for them.

The radio turned on loudly as Dean cranked the car; he had been enjoying playing it as loud as he wanted but now turned the volume down. "You wanna go somewhere for dinner?"

"Yeah," she replied while putting her seatbelt on. "What are you in the mood for?"

"No I mean, _go_ somewhere for dinner."

She looked at him. "Like an actual restaurant?"

"Yeah." He pulled into the street.

"Like a date?"

He couldn't help the smirk when he heard the term but he shrugged it off. "If that's what you want to call it."

She laughed a little; in almost five years of being together they'd never actually gone on a date. Unless of course, you counted killing demons, hunting spirits or decapitating vampires. Which he probably did. In that case, they'd been on thousands of dates. Maybe riding just the two of them for awhile would turn out better than she thought.

Back at the motel, Dean stood at the sink outside the bathroom and made touch ups with his razor. He was wondering what she was trying on and what she would ultimately end up wearing, which was weird for him. It seemed so commonplace, civilian even, but he was actually looking forward to this. The whole thing was oddly satisfying.

His breath caught when Cas was suddenly behind him and he stopped to make sure his heart was beating again. "Jesus Cas, don't do that." He set his razor down and turned, as usual Castiel stood right in his face. "Cas, we talked about this. Personal space."

He took a step back. "My apologies."

Dean went to the bed and started sifting through his bag. "How'd you find us, I thought we were drifting below the angel radar."

"You are. Bobby told me where you were." He looked around the room. "Where's Kayla? And Sam?"

"Kayla's in the bathroom." He pulled on a clean over shirt. "Me and Sam are taking separate vacations for awhile. So, have you found God yet? More important, can I have my damn necklace back?"

"No, I haven't found him. That's why I'm here, I need your help."

"With what, a God hunt? I'm not interested." Though with a whiny push he was sure he'd get roped into the thing.

"It's not God it's someone else."

"Who?"

"Archangel. The one who killed me. His name is Raphael."

He tilted his head. "You were wasted by a teenage mutant ninja angel?"

Castiel continued, he was getting accustomed to Dean's sarcasm. "I have heard whispers, that he is walking the Earth. This is a rare opportunity."

"For what? Revenge?"

"Information. We are going to trap him, and interrogate him."

Dean watched his expression, but it never changed. It usually didn't. "You're serious about this."

"Dean I need your help, because you are the only one who will help me. Please."

Damn him. Damn him for coming right now. "Hey sweetheart." He called out.

Kayla opened the bathroom door and it was everything he was afraid of. She was dressed and ready to go in a little black dress and strappy heels, her hair fell in loose curls around her shoulders. Damn him.

For the first time, she didn't look overly enthusiastic to see Castiel. "Cas, hey." She offered a smile to hide her surprise.

"You look very nice." He stated matter-of-factly.

"Cas needs our help hunting the archangel that killed him so he can tell us where God is."

"Oh." Well, her God-hunting support definitely came around to bite her in the ass. "Then um, I should change." The guy saved her life, it wasn't like she was going to tell him to come back later.

He gave her a remorseful look, because he actually did want to take her out. He should have known better. She smiled slightly and went back into the bathroom. Castiel didn't seem phased by any of this, he didn't realize he was interrupting anything at all and Dean let it go. "So where is he?"

"Maine."

"Fine, but we're driving. Give me a minute." He went into the bathroom; Kayla had already changed and was pulling her hair back into a ponytail.

She smiled as she smoothed it out. "Hey."

"Raincheck, okay? I fully expect to see that dress on you again."

"Okay." She agreed with little enthusiasm, she knew the rain check would be on a lengthy timeline. They had a world to save.

He leaned her against the counter and kissed her. "I really didn't plan this."

She laughed quietly. "I don't believe you."

"You better go give him a formal greeting, I think you hurt his feelings."

"I doubt it." But she went out of the bathroom and put on a wider smile, giving Cas a hug before putting the dress back in her bag. "How are you?"

His expression did shift just slightly then; he was more relaxed, happier about the respectful concern. "I'm well, thank you."

"Good. Let's go snatch an archangel. How hard could it be right?"

"He'll most certainly kill me, again." He answered honestly.

"Well aren't you full of sunshine today?"


	2. Chapter 2

_Kayla-_

_Working at the bar is redundantly slow compared to working in the field but I'm getting used to it. The biggest problem I have to deal with is a drunk argument between customers now and then and they hardly ever throw punches. It's so easy I almost feel bad about being here while you guys are out there dealing with my mess. I guess it's better, I feel like I'm getting a better grip on myself. Soon I'll be back in the game and everything will be back to normal, or as normal as it can be anyway. I miss you guys, tell Dean I said hey._

_ Sam_

Kayla closed the email app on her phone and smiled slightly, she was glad Sam was doing okay. She knew if he was miserable he wouldn't tell her anyway, but it was still good to hear from him. His greeting to Dean wouldn't be repeated; something told her he wasn't quite in the mood just yet.

They drove in silence except for the music Dean was listening to; apparently Cas wasn't as talkative with him. He drove where he was directed to drive and they pulled up next to the Waterville, Maine Sheriff's Department.

"Why are we here?"

"A deputy sheriff laid eyes on the archangel."

"And he still has eyes? What's the plan?"

Cas hesitated, he didn't really think much past this point. "We…tell the officer that he witnessed an angel of the Lord. And the officer will tell us where the angel is."

"Are you serious? You're gonna walk in there and tell him the truth?"

"Why not?"

"Aw, Cas you're adorable." Kayla smoothed the fold in the front of his jacket. "Get him an ID baby."

He smirked and dug through his pocket. "See Cas, we're humans. And when humans want something, really really bad, we lie."

"Why?" He stood still while Dean put the ID in his jacket pocket and straightened his tie.

"Because. That's how you become President."

Kayla smiled when he looked to her. "You'll do fine. Are you two going to take this?"

"Yep. We'll be right back." Dean led the way into the building, where they quickly found the man they were looking for. "Deputy Framingham?" He turned to them. "Agent Mosley, FBI. This is my partner, Agent Moscone…_also_ FBI." He urged Cas.

Castiel looked at him, then quickly took the ID out of his pocket. He held it up with feigned confidence, appropriately upside down. Dean reach out and flipped it the right way.

"He's new. Mind if we ask you a few questions?"

"Sure no problem. Talk here though," he motioned to left ear. "The sounds all blown to hell in his one."

"That happen recently?" They followed him into his office.

"Yeah. At the gas station fire, that's why you're here isn't it?"

"Yes it is." Dean sat, nodding to Cas to do the same. "You mind running us through what happened?"

"Call came in, a disturbance out at the Pump N Go on Route four."

"What kind of disturbance?"

"I would not have believed my eyes if I hadn't seen it myself. We're talking a riot. Full scale, must have been thirty, forty people in all out kill or be killed combat."

"Any idea what set them off?"

The sheriff thought about it a moment and Cas leaned towards Dean. "It's angels and demons probably." He stated, not even trying to be quiet about it. "They're squirmishing all over the globe."

"Come again?" The deputy raised an eyebrow. "What did he say?" He turned to Dean."

"Nothing."

"Demons." Cas corrected.

Dean sighed quietly. "Demons, you know, the drink, adultery. We all have our demons, right?"

He looked uneasily towards Castiel. "I guess."

"Anyway, so what happened next?"

"A freaking explosion that's what. They said it was one of those underground gas tanks but um, I don't think so. It wasn't your usual fire ball. It was…"

"Pure white." Cas finished.

"Yeah. The gas station was leveled, everyone was…it was just horrible." He grimaced off the image of all those dead bodies. "And I see this one guy, kneeling there. Real focused like. Not a damn scratch on him."

"You know him?"

"Donnie Finnerman."

"And let me guess, he just, vanished into thin air?"

"Uh, no. He's down at Saint Pete's."

Castiel turned to Dean, very serious. "Saint Pete's." He repeated.

He nodded. "Thank you. And thank you, Deputy Framingham."

They quickly left the building, Kayla was leaned against the car.

"How'd it go?"

"Oh, it was super." Dean stated. "Cas showed his ID upside down and told the guy angels and demons were 'squirmishing' all over the globe."

She laughed quietly. "Did you find out where he is?"

"Saint Pete's." Castiel told her.

"Yeah, Saint Pete's." Dean rolled his eyes and got in the car.

But when they got to Saint Pete's, they didn't find an archangel. They found an empty vessel that used to hold an archangel. He was little more than a vegetable sitting in a wheelchair.

"Is that what I have to look forward to if Michael jumps my bones?"

"No, it will be completely different. Michael is much more powerful, it will be far worse for you."

"Again with the optimism." Kayla shook her head. "So now what do we do?"

"I need supplies, I'll be back." Without any indication of _where_ or _when_ he would be back, he disappeared.

Dean checked his watch. "Well, we don't know when he'll be back. Would you settle on lunch?"


	3. Chapter 3

Lunch turned out to be a great idea, better than Dean had expected. They found a decent place and got to sit and relax; there was no rushing to finish so they could research, no grabbing the food to go because there was a life or death situation hanging over their heads. Nope, he just sat across from Kayla and enjoyed the food.

Not talking about the job started as being nearly impossible, since that's all they do. But he cautiously worked in some random topics; things he wanted to do with the Impala, places he'd actually like to see and not just drive through, and even some commentary on ACDC. Kayla was enthusiastic about everything he could come up with. He expected at any moment for the _let's talk about when you're going to call Sam_ conversation, but it never even headed in that direction. For the first time in a long time, Dean felt good.

He was even in high spirits when Castiel showed back up that night.

"Hey Cas, where you been?"

"Jerusalem."

Of course he was in Jerusalem. "Oh, how was it?"

"Arid." He placed an old clay jug on the table.

"What's that?"

"Oil. It's very special, and very rare."

"Everything is special and rare to you isn't it? So we're gonna trap Raphael with a nice vinaigrette?"

He sat in one of the chairs and folded his hands. "No."

Dean looked at Kayla, pretty much done with the one sided conversation. Apparently he wasn't in the chatty angels club.

"So we're doing a ritual to catch him, do we have a certain timeline here?"

"We have to do it at sunrise."

"Okay." Dean started again. "Isn't trapping an archangel kind of like trying to catch a hurricane with a butterfly net?"

"No it's harder." Cas answered.

"So is there any chance we're gonna live through this?"

"You will." He nodded. "And Kayla, they wouldn't do anything to further tarnish your relationship with the angels."

"Like that's possible. So chances are, you're a dead man tomorrow."

"Yes." He didn't seem bothered by the idea. He'd already been killed by Raphael once, at least he knew what to expect.

"Wow. Well, last night on Earth. What are your plans?"

"I just thought I'd sit here quietly."

Kayla laughed slightly. "Well you came to the wrong place for that."

"No kidding dude seriously. Anything? Booze, women?" They both saw the look on Castiel's face as he turned away. "All that stuff you told Kayla was bullshit wasn't it? I mean, you've been with a woman before. Or an angel at least?" He didn't answer him. "Cas."

"Look, I never had occasion, okay?" He was suddenly horribly uncomfortable.

Dean threw his hands up and looked to Kayla. "Can I talk to you?" She followed him onto the front porch. "Cas is a virgin." He almost sounded disgusted.

She pulled the front door shut behind them. "Yeah, I kind of figured that when he told me he'd never kissed a woman before."

"This is gonna sound weird, I know. But you gotta sleep with him." His tone sounded urgent.

"Excuse me?"

"He saved your life."

"He saved yours too."

"I'm being serious. I know, I know, I joke all the time about you making out with Sam or the thing with Bobby and the lap dance or flashing the cops for information…that's just playing around. This, this is a serious issue!"

"Cas being a virgin is a serious issue." She folded her arms.

"Cas _dying _a virgin is a serious issue. You have no idea."

"Taking his virtue doesn't quite seem like a fair trade for him saving my life."

"Taking his…what are you saying?! That poor guy is gonna die without ever having the greatest human experience _ever._"

"He's an angel!"

"He has to know what he's fighting for!"

"You're grasping."

"You're not going to do this are you?" He really didn't think she'd fight him this hard on it; he kind of thought she'd be chomping at the bit if he offered it out. "You're gonna do him like that."

"I don't want to do _you_ like that."

"Is that why you're saying no? Kayla, I'm giving a green light here." He saw the look on her face and sighed quietly. "Fine, if it's that important to you."

"It is."

"Then we're on to Plan B." He went back into the house. "Cas, there are two things I know for sure. One, Burt and Ernie are gay. And two, you are _not_ going to die a virgin. Not on my watch. Let's go."

He looked nervous but got up and followed him out of the house. "Where are we going?"

Dean grinned and opened the back door. "Just relax and enjoy the ride." He winked to Kayla; he kind of liked the surprise that she wouldn't sleep with an angel, not even Cas.


	4. Chapter 4

The look of fear on Castiel's face easily rivaled some of the worst cases of victims they had seen. His eyes darted back and forth nervously, all the while he was pounding his beer in a jerk reaction to calm himself. Kayla noticed the table shaking slightly as his knee bounced underneath. Poor guy, Kayla had no idea Dean would take him to a place like this. She'd like to know how Dean _knew_ about a place like this.

Dean shook his head. "Hey, relax."

He leaned in. "This is a den of iniquity. We should not be here." He continued looking around nervously.

"Dude you full on rebelled against heaven. Iniquity is one of the perks." He saw one of the girls coming up to the table. "Show time."

A young, bubbly blonde in white lingerie approached with a smile, her eyes focused on Castiel. "Hi, what's your name?"

Castiel wouldn't even look up, his eyes were fixed on the table so Dean filled in for him. "Cas, his name's Cas. What's your name?"

"Chastity."

"Chastity." Dean chuckled. "Wow. Well, he likes you and you like him, so…"

"Come on baby." She smiled and led him by the hand towards the back room.

Dean jumped up and grabbed him by the shoulder. "Hey, take this." He held up some folded bills. "If she asks for a credit card, no. Just stick to the basics okay? Do not order off the menu."

"Aw, Dean, look at him, he's terrified." Kayla cooed. "Don't make him do this, he doesn't want to sleep with a call girl."

"Hey! These are professionals."

"It's wrong, to let his first and only experience be with…"

"Go get her tiger." Dean smirked. "Don't make me push you."

Cas took the money and followed the girl back as Dean and Kayla took their seats again.

"Again, so wrong."

"You said no, remember that."

She took a drink out of his beer and lowered her voice. "Well I didn't know you were taking him to a bordello."

"So, if I would have told you that if you don't snatch Cas's virginity then I'm taking him to a brothel, you would have agreed to it?" His tone was mildly curious.

"Let's not get in to that, we're already here."

"Oh no, the question's already there. You gotta…" They both looked back as a high-pitched scream echoed through the hallway. "Hell."

They ran into the back; several of the girls were in the hall trying to see what was going on. Cas stood in the hallway, his trench coat partly hanging off his shoulders looking incredibly confused as Chastity screamed at him.

"Get out of my face, leave me alone! Bastard! Screw you!" She chucked a stiletto that cruised by his head. "I'll kill you!" She stormed by Dean and screamed at him as well. "Screw you too! Augh!" She stomped down the hall.

Dean walked over. "What the hell did you do?"

"I don't know. I just looked her in the eyes and told her it wasn't her fault that her father Gene ran off. It was because he hated his job at the post office."

"Cas." Kayla breathed with a quiet laugh, she couldn't hold it in.

"What?"

Dean shook his head, he _wasn't_ holding in his laughter. "This whole industry runs on absent fathers, it's like the natural order." Two large security guards made their way down the hall and he pushed him towards the back exit. "We should go."

Castiel didn't understand why Dean was still laughing as they got into the alley. "What's so funny?"

"Ah, nothing." He chuckled. "I haven't laughed that hard in a long time." He opened the driver door, adding thoughtfully, "It's been more than a long time."

Kayla smiled and straightened his jacket back onto his shoulders. "It's okay Cas, you did the right thing." She climbed into the car. It was great seeing Dean so relaxed for a change.

"No, he did not do the right thing." Dean told her. "The right thing to do was relax and enjoy the ride, like I said."

"Tasteful, Dean. Really. Cas don't listen to him."

"We're running out of time, we have to get to Saint Pete's."

"Alright," Dean smirked and turned the radio on. "Back to business."


	5. Chapter 5

Dean shut the blinds in the hospital room as Cas wheeled the man into the center. Kayla was slowly making a circle with the so-called rare oil.

"So what's this going to do?"

Castiel looked with a watchful eye to make sure everything was being done properly. "When the oil burns, no angel can touch or cross through the flames or he dies."

"Makes sense, like a steel cage of holy fire." Dean noted. "How the heck do we get him here?"

"There's, well almost an open phone line between a vessel and his angel. One just has to know how to dial." Cas leaned down near the man's ear and began chanting slowly, it was nothing either Dean or Kayla recognized until he spoke English again. "I'm here, Raphael, come and get me you little bastard."

Kayla laughed. "Was that last part a piece of the ritual?"

"No, I added that part myself." He answered seriously.

Dean looked at the circle of oil. "So, out of curiosity, what is the average customer wait time to speak with an archangel?"

"Be ready." He lit a match and dropped it into the oil.

So the bait was set. Raphael of course never showed at the hospital, but they would be ready for him when he did come around. They drove quickly back to the abandoned house and almost as soon as they walked in, the room was lit up with lightning. The fuses blew and the house went dark.

The archangel Raphael stood before them, now inhabiting his vessel. "Castiel."

"Raphael."

As they walked towards him, Dean couldn't help himself. "I thought you were supposed to be impressive. All you do is black out the room?"

"And the Eastern seaboard." Lightning flashed from outside as the wind picked up. He turned his attention back to Cas. "It is a testament to my unending mercy that I don't smite you here and now."

"Or maybe you're full of crap." Dean told him, trying not to shy away from the look he gave him. "Maybe you're afraid God will bring Cas back to life again and smite you in your candy ass skirt. By the way hi, I'm Dean."

"I know who you are. And now, thanks to him, I know where you are."

"You won't kill him, you wouldn't dare."

"But I will take him to Michael."

"That sounds terrifying, it really does."

"Dean do you ever stop?" Kayla snapped at him. This was an archangel for Christ's sake. Not a shit list you want to be on.

"Not really." He turned away from them to crack a beer. "I'm not going anywhere with you buddy."

"Surely you remember Zachariah giving you stomach cancer."

Dean looked at him. "Yeah, that was hilarious."

"Yes, well, he doesn't have anything close to my imagination."

"I bet you didn't imagine one thing."

"What?"

"We knew you were coming, you stupid son of a bitch." He flipped his lighter open and tossed it onto the oil.

Long flames rose around Raphael and he watched them in angered surprise before turning his furious expression on Dean.

"Don't look at me it was his idea."

Cas looked at him, completely thrown off at being thrown under the bus. They all looked back at Raphael.

"Where is He?"

"God? Didn't you hear? He's dead Castiel. Dead."

The words burned into his mind and made his head ache.

"No He's not." Kayla argued with him against all common sense, she just couldn't wrap her mind around the idea.

"There is no other explanation. He's gone for good."

Cas swallowed; it wasn't the answer he was looking for. "You're lying."

"Am I? Do you remember the twentieth century? Do you think the twenty first is going any better? Do you think God would have let any of that happen if He were alive?"

"Oh yeah?" Dean asked. "Then who invented the Chinese basket trick?"

"Careful, that's my father you're talking about."

"Who would be so proud that his sons started the friggen apocalypse."

"Who ran off and disappeared? Who left no instructions, and a world to rot?"

"So daddy ran away. He didn't happen to work for the post office did he?"

"This is funny to you? You're living in a Godless universe."

Dean glanced to Cas, who looked absolutely devastated. "So you guys just decided to throw and apocalypse while he's gone?"

"We're tired. We just want it to be over. We just wanted…paradise."

"Killing mankind isn't paradise." Kayla spit out, frustrated. "You can't just do whatever you want because He's not here to tell you no!"

"Killing mankind is irrelevant! We are superior and what we want, we get!"

The windows in the house shattered and they ducked.

"If God is dead, then how am I here? Who sent me back?" Cas yelled against the wind and rain that was circling viciously around them.

"Did it ever occur to you that Lucifer raised you?"

"No." It wasn't an answer, it was a denial.

"Think about it. He needs all the rebellious angels he can find, being one himself."

"Let's go." Castiel told them and they turned to leave.

"Castiel, I'm warning you. Do not leave me here. I will find you."

He turned back calmly. "Maybe one day. But today, you're my little bitch."

Dean exchanged a look with Kayla and looked back to Raphael. "What he said."


	6. Chapter 6

Castiel had been deathly silent for nearly an hour and Kayla turned around, resting her arms on the back of her seat to look at him. He looked so…lost.

"Cas don't be like that, you heard him. He said there's no other explanation. That means he's just like us, he doesn't know jack shit about what happened to God or whether he's dead or alive."

He nodded but his eyes didn't raise from his hands.

"You can't give up hope over something some prick archangel said. Don't lose faith because he did."

Castiel looked out the window but still said nothing, Kayla nudged Dean.

"You know I do know something about absent fathers."

"What do you mean?" He finally spoke.

"I mean there were times that I was looking for my dad when all logic said that he was dead. But I knew, in my heart, that he was still alive. So who cares what some ninja turtle says Cas, what do you believe?"

"I believe he's out there." His voice had hope again.

"Good. Then go find him."

He looked at them a moment. "What about you?"

"What about me?" He shrugged. "I don't know. Honestly, I'm good. I can't believe I'm saying that but, I'm really good."

"Even without your brother."

"Especially without my brother. I spend so much time worrying about the son of a bitch, I mean I've had more fun with you in the past twenty four hours than I've had with Sam in years…and you're not that fun. It's just funny that I've been so chained to my family for years, but now that we're apart, hell, I'm happy." When he glanced in the rearview mirror he was gone.

"He'll be okay, he's good." She smiled and slid over in the seat. "Good talk babe."


End file.
